HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUD!!

From Total Axxess

WALLY ROCKS

Our Cat Allie - Enjoying the Dog Days of Summer

Duct Tape Bandit

This guy is so stupid, I say just let him go. Man...
You have to WATCH THIS Scroll to the top of the page and click on the video - the clip begins after the hospital commercial.

Now That's A Big House....

Patterned after an English country house, the home of Alan and Irene Bloomfield on Delong Place is, at 24,252 square feet, the biggest in Fayette County, (Lexington) according to the records of the property valuation administrator. It has 16 furnaces, a fireplace large enough to stand in, a movie theater, a basketball court and too many half-baths to bother counting.
I don't mean to sound judgmental, and it certainly is their right to have as large a home as they want but is it really a wise way to spend your money? I don't know the Bloomfields. They may be admirable philanthropists. But as far as I can tell, 2 people live there. I like to think I'm not envious. I just like to imagine myself in other people's shoes and I ask myself "would I need a place like this to live?" I have to answer no. It's certainly a great thing about America however. We have the freedom to pursue happiness and I must admit, a part of the happiness equation for me would be; an indoor basketball court in my home. :)

A Summertime TV Fix....

The Magic Negro?

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on WIKIPEDIA
Rush Limbaugh and Paul Shanklin took the phrase and produced a comical parody.
Not so funny however, is thinking Obama could become President. One of the brightest minds in the world, Charles Krauthammer, had this to say about Obama.
Strike Two - By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, July 27, 2007 Washington Post
For Barack Obama, it was strike two. And this one was a right-down-the-middle question from a YouTuber in the South Carolina debate: "Would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea?"
"I would," responded Obama.
His explanation dug him even deeper: "The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -- is ridiculous."
From the Nation's David Corn to super-blogger Mickey Kaus, a near-audible gasp. For Hillary Clinton, next in line at the debate, an unmissable opportunity. She pounced: "I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year." And she proceeded to give the reasons any graduate student could tick off: You don't want to be used for their propaganda. You need to know their intentions. Such meetings can make the situation worse.
Just to make sure no one missed how the grizzled veteran showed up the clueless rookie, the next day Clinton told the Quad-City Times of Davenport, Iowa, that Obama's comment "was irresponsible and frankly naive."
To be on the same stage as the leader of the world's greatest power is of course a prize. Read more from CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER.... The country might decide that it prefers, yes, a Republican -- say, Sept. 11 veteran Rudy Giuliani-- to a freshman senator who does not instinctively understand why an American president does not share the honor of his office with a malevolent clown like Hugo Chávez.

Global Warming?

No, this is not global warming at work. It's a classic summer heat wave that will be nasty but not unprecedented. The cause of the heat wave is shown here. The ingredients are all simple and basic. The jet stream is well north, which allows desert-roasted air and Gulf humidity to mingle. That combination always yields the greatest discomfort. Over the next several days, the heat will be concentrated over a broad area from the central and southern Plains to the Southeast.

NFL Hall Of Fame Induction

I have never been a Cowboys fan and certainly not a Michael Irvin fan but tonight, I became a Michael Irvin fan. If you didn't see his speech, here's a GOOD REVIEW. It was an emotional testimony of failure and faith where I saw a remorseful and humble man admit his mistakes in front of his kids, family and millions watching. It took guts to do what he did tonight.
A few weeks after the Cowboys defeated Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX in 1996, police found Irvin, marijuana, cocaine and strippers in a hotel room for his 30th birthday party. He pleaded no contest to felony cocaine possession and was put on probation for four years.
It was one of several run-ins with police. And Irvin wondered if he had burned his chance for making the hall.
"A few days before the vote, a current player called me and said, `They're just trying to keep you out because once you go in, the rest of us player-boys will, too,'" Irvin said. "I never thought of it like that. I hope they don't think of it like that. I'm not trying to lead the way for bad boys to get in. I'm just trying to deal with my own issues."
Tonight he convinced me that his faith in Christ has made a difference in his life and in how he is dealing with his issues.

We Were There! The 20th Annual "World's Longest Yardsale"

This year marks not only the 20th anniversary of the sale, but also the extension of the sale by 180 miles! The sale will now stretch from the Ohio/Michigan border, all the way down to Gadsden, Alabama! The US 127 Corridor Sale started in 1987. It begins at Covington, KY, and runs South to Chattanooga, TN, then switches to the Lookout Mountain Parkway, continuing to Gadsden, AL. The four day sale now starts on the first Thursday in August making dates for the 20th annual sale to be August 2-5, 2007. The sale is very popular, and visitors from several foreign countries have attended.
The original intent of the sale was to prove the back roads have something to offer, and that the interstate system was not the only mode for travel. County officials put together a list of attractions along the route in Kentucky and Tennessee. There are over three hundred attractions along the route to provide enjoyment for the family. Whether it be majestic hills, beautiful scenery, river boats, railroads, toe tapping music, arts, crafts, horses, fishing, hiking, bits of Civil War or Indian History, there are many opportunities to enjoy the beauty and culture of the land along the 127 Sale Route. Get a firsthand look as HGTV chronicles the best, the worst and the screwiest of this phenomenal secondhand roadtrip. AIR TIME: August 07, 2007 11:00 AM ET/PT. We bought a table, fishing pole, lamp and watermelon. Grand Total - $36

The Original...

In The Blink Of An Eye.....

My brother Rick, his wife Paula and their son Clay live in Minneapolis. For a couple of hours this morning, after learning about the bridge collapse and after leaving a voice message on Rick's cell phone, I felt anxiety, and my mind went in to "what if world." He was in Memphis on a trip (Pilot for Northwest Airlines) but called back about 2 hours later and said they were OK. Thank God! As he mentioned, I'm sure they will know someone who was impacted directly by this tragedy. But the reminder for me was very clear. In the blink of an eye, our lives can change; live life to it's fullest. Our prayers are with those who suffered losses.

I Thought This Was Pretty Cool

Vigilante speed limit enforcers in Ohio are using lifelike cardboard children to scare motorists into slowing down. Speaking to the local news station, their creator, Mike Wood said "First when [motorists] saw them, it scared them that the kids were so close to the road, and they thought why are they letting their kids play next to the road like that?"

Kentucky Wildcats Football vs. Eastern Kentucky
Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, KY
Sat, Sep 1, 2007
Seat location: section 118
Just Bought 4 Tickets (Me, Mary, Lyndsey & Andrew) To See The SEC's # 1 Quarterback and Heisman Candidate, Andre Woodson. Football Season is Allllmost Here!
Commonwealth Stadium Is 6 Miles From Our House.
Can You Say Tailgate?

A Story For All Who Run....

7 Marathons - 7 Days - 7 Continents

If Charleston, SC is # 9 - Lexington, KY has to be the best kept secret in the top ten.

Debate or Audition?

This wasn't a presidential debate, it was an audition. Their anwers were without logic or depth. It was all about a competition to trick us into seeing "who cares the most." And it wasn't even cutting-edge. They could have interviewed people on the street with questions without having to go with the whole YouTube thing. Plus, there was no chance for follow up questions when they obviously didn't answer the question. A snowman asking Global Warming questions; the process and politics in general, is becoming an absolute joke.

Free-Will Thing Keeps Disappointing God (Click)

Sunrise....Bathtub Beach, Stuart, FL

Happy Birthday Punkin!

One Of My Favorite Shows - Dirty Jobs

Michael Moore Is Full Of It...this proves it.

Sorry for the video. Wouldn't it be nice if Moore said he would donate all his profits from the film to open a free medical clinic for the homeless and under-insured? I was very impressed when the CHURCH we attend announced they were opening a free clinic in the heart of downtown Lexington. It will be opening soon.

MAJOR NEWS ALERT....THIS JUST IN.....IT'S JULY AND IT'S HOT!!

I am shocked....it is extremely hot outside, in July!

I Am Ready For Some Football - Hall of Fame Game - Sunday Aug 5th

This Time Of Year Is A Bit Difficult For Me.....I Just Can't Get Into Baseball, NASCAR, Tennis or Golf....
How Many Times Does Madden Say Bootleg?

Bob Carter Is Someone You'll Never See Interviewed....(CLICK HERE For Others)

(Warm Fuzzy Pictures Help Me Make My Point)

Professor Bob Carter of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University, in Australia gives what, for many Canadians, is a surprising assessment: "Gore's circumstantial arguments are so weak that they are pathetic. It is simply incredible that they, and his film, are commanding public attention."
But surely Carter is merely part of what most people regard as a tiny cadre of "climate change skeptics" who disagree with the "vast majority of scientists" Gore cites?
No; Carter is one of hundreds of highly qualified non-governmental, non-industry, non-lobby group climate experts who contest the hypothesis that human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are causing significant global climate change. "Climate experts" is the operative term here. Why? Because what Gore's "majority of scientists" think is immaterial when only a very small fraction of them actually work in the climate field.

Live Earth Was Hilarious - DO SOME RESEARCH

One of the most ridiculous things I saw were these kids singing with Pink Floyd....."We Don't Need No Education!"

Happy Independence Day! (Click For Fireworks)

On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands leave their homeland to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they can begin their American Dream.
Are we losing our American way of life?
"Citizenship requires passing a test on American history in English. If that's true, then we do not have to create ballots in any language except English." Newt Gingrich

FYI - I Still Like My Piece of Crap Phone...

Movie Review

Mary and I saw Evan Almighty last week and we thought it was pretty good. If the theme of the movie had been as good as the animal training and special affects, it could have been a great movie. There's something about Morgan Freeman's role as God that grabs me. At one point, he laughs when Evan mentions "his own" plans. I think God has probably thought "my plans" were pretty humorous too. The movie is a bit cheesy at times but I thought it was a good family-friendly movie that at times had me asking "how did they do that?" It's worth a trip to the theatre.

Judges Are Everywhere!

Imagine....a panel of judges at your place of employment or at your home.
"That proposal was pathetic!No one would buy that. I must say, I have seen better landings than that. The takeoff was good but the landing was pitchy. I thought she could have handled that customer complaint much better. Are you kidding me? You call that good writing? I know 2-year olds who can write better than that. That has to me the worst job mowing a lawn I have ever seen. The roast beef....tough as shoe leather. Dawg....it just didn't work for me."
I guess we all have judges around us. It's probably a good thing we're not as brutally honest as some of the TV judges, especially the British ones. It seems a bit ironic that TV has so many judges in a society where we always hear "who are you to judge?"

An Expensive Hobby

You Have To Appreciate His Sense of Humor

I still like and respect this President.

Justin's Back From The Desert! Welcome Back!

The 816th EAS has flown about 370,000 passengers, 370 million pounds of cargo on about 80,000 pallets in about 20,000 hours of flying - all of this in direct support of the Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines on the ground in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. For every airlift sortie of the more than 13,000 flown over the past year, there were less convoys out in harm's way as a result.
"We're in the business of flying air convoys," said Colonel Eberhart, a Baldwin City, Kan., native deployed here from Charleston AFB, S.C. "What we do not only gets people and cargo to the right place at the right time, but it also reduces the amount of convoys and the threat for our ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan - saving the lives of the people on the road."

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ME - THE LUCKIEST DAD IN THE WORLD

BEST KIDS IN THE WORLD

A Dream Comes True...

Click on any picture and try one for yourself.

Our Anniversary on TV...I have the best wife.

Justin With His Crew....

At Sunrise, Waiting For The Crew Bus After A Loooong Mission (He's On The Far Left With The Headphones - Probably Listening To The Robert Randolph Band)

Classic

To Borrow a Baseball Term....She's Safe!

Makes me laugh every time! Reminds me of a golfer who has spent thousands of dollars on golfing equipment and attire and then hits a 3 foot shot off the tee that bounces off a golf cart.

Just Give Me The Coffee!

I go in to McDonalds to get an Egg McMuffin and medium coffee. Should be simple enough but, not so simple."Good Morning." "Good Morning" I said. "I'll have an Egg McMuffin and medium size coffee." "How would you like that coffee?" She caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting that question. "How would I like it?" "Yes, how would you like it;" seeming a bit perturbed with me for repeating her question. But I was stalling....not sure of how to answer. "Medium, I would like a medium." Slight smile. "No, how would you like it." "Hot....I would like it hot please." Slightly wider grin comes across her face. "No, do you want cream or anything?" "I can get it myself" I replied. "No....we get it for you" she said with body language that said; I can't believe we're doing it like this. More people are getting in line now. "Hmm...I guess I'll take one packet of sweetener and 1 packet of cream."
"What kind of sweetener?" Now I'm becoming perturbed. "The blue one is fine" I said quickly." Whew! That was a totally unecessary exchange. Just give me the coffee. Some things just shouldn't be complicated.

True Meaning of Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

"They came of age during the Great Depression and Second World War and went on to build modern America - men and women whose everyday lives of duty, honor; achievement, and courage gave us the world we have today." from Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation."
And they were - the greatest generation. They understood sacrifice and service.
And ya know what? I think this generation of young men & women understand it too; better than my generation
GET THE FLAG OUT and remember those who made it possible and thank those who are making it possible today. Then fire up the grill and cook a burger or dog or what the heck, why not a steak! I still use KY made KINGSFORD CHARCOAL . No gas for me - grills that is.
Thanks for your service to our country Justin! We love you! WEATHER IN QATAR Also - we received an email from Justin letting us know that he is on the mission outlined in THIS REPORT FROM FOX NEWS Our prayers are with you.

And...check out this MEMORIAL DAY POSTING from my brother Rick

Elvis Spotting....at the DMV

That's right. Elvis man, at the Fayette County Department of Motor Vehicles. He looks great. The picture is a bit fuzzy because I took it with my cell phone through some glass. He seemed a bit honored that I wanted to take his picure. I got my new license plate and driver license with minimal hassle. It's official now....we're both Kentuckians again, thanks to Mary who pulled the necessary paper work and of course Elvis for processing everything so professionally. He offered me a nanner and peanut butter sandwich but I already had lunch. Elvis lives on baby - at the DMV!

NEED A LAUGH?

VA Tech

I walked on campus today and took a couple of photos with my cellphone. The building with the green barrier fence around it is Norris Hall, the building where all but 2 people were killed. The other photo is of students and staff cleaning up all the flowers, etc from the make-shift memorial that thousands of people contributed to. It was sad to see them putting all the dead flowers into trash bags. No one spoke as they cleaned up. It seemed odd. In a way, we expect the mourning to go on forever. But, life goes on. Those who lost loved ones will never get over it, but I hope they will learn to deal with it. Blacksburg and VA Tech has experienced something I hope no community has to experience again.

Zebras in VA?

Took this picture today when I was calling on an account - VA Safari Park. The GM let me drive through at no charge.

Justin in the Middle East

Justin "de-stressing" with an X-Box Air Guitar after flying a night time mission.

Life Goes On...

Blacksburg, VA is a great town! I have spent the better part of 3 weeks in Blacksburg, and have seen a town determined to move forward. I have never met nicer people anywhere. They are especially grateful that the press has finally packed up and is beginning to leave them alone. Graduation is this weekend and there is some excitement in the air but I'm sure it will be full of mixed emotions. It's towns like this that makes America great!